Region 9 approves stadium lighting

REDDING - Joel Barlow High School will hopefully have stadium lights in time for upcoming football games thanks to a collaboration between school officials and private donors.

It's not just a luxury to replace the lights on the stadium field,

Board of Education
members said at their meeting Monday night. It's essential so the school doesn't have to cancel games, which members said could jeopardize the school's accreditation.
The Region 9 Board of Education spent two hours discussing short-term solutions and a permanent plan before moving forward with a final plan to replace the underground wires that serve the field.
In the end, the board authorized O&G Industries to begin excavation Sept. 28 on the lines that supply electricity to the field. The board limited the initial work to up to $10,000 that could be covered with money in the capital reserve fund.
The board plans to revisit the issue at its meeting Thursday, when it will consider competitive pricing for the work O&G estimated could cost as much as $83,000.
Barlow high school principal

Ross Calabro
said the lighting on the field is important since the field plays a role in the school's emergency crisis plan.
That fact gave the board a reason to waive competitive bids on the work it wanted to be completed as soon as possible, though the district will receive competitive prices.
The board, working with business manager
Keith McLiverty
, devised a method to be able to accept restricted donations for the work. Calabro agreed to open an account under the Barlow student activities fee for the stadium improvements.
Some residents at the meeting promised donations for the project and agreed to seek corporate matching funds that could offset the cost by up to $22,000.

Joel Barlow
's first home game is Friday at 7 p.m. against Newtown. It is home again the following Friday at 6 p.m. against Pomperaug.